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Jairen
Jairen was an orphan kid from Wooddale who defeated the Warlock Lord and became Lord Jair. He was handsome with blond hair and blue eyes, but was born with a crescent-like birthmark on his cheek. History His village was destroyed by the Death Wraiths of the Warlock Lord and his parents were killed when he was 5 years old. He was adopted by his aunt, Delma fro Wooddale. He'd spent hours n the forest, among the strange plants and brooks and feeding wood-snits. Other kids would bully him because of his orphanhood and birthmark, and would call him Traal-face. When she died, he became an apprentice of Thurl the smith. On his 13rd name day Thurl gave him a short-sword. One day he found a winker-bug under a rock and picked it up. Thurl hadn't let him into the house the next three days. One day, a stranger on his way to the Western Forest came to the smithy and asked Jairen to shoe his mare. The stranger could not wait for Thurl's return so Jairen did the job alone. The stranger paid him generously with a half-darius. When Jairen went to bring his staff, he was teleported to a strange castle with statues depicting ancient kings. From there, he saw the mountain Gatekeeper and understood that he must go there, to the east, and find the last king. Journey to Gatekeeper Jairen continues his journey, thinking about Thurl and the life he lives behind. He passes through the village of Brookmead and reaches a forest. He stops at a grove of "dindin" trees and decides to climb one for its fruits. He hears a voice below who "thanks" him for the fruit he dropped. It is a 3-foot tall fenling by the name of Fezwyn Quickfoot. Suddenly the fenling hides, as a band of angry men approach: they are looking for a thief who stole a hen from a red-bearded man. Jairen wishes them luck and the fenling reappears as they leave. The fenling is a thief, and he stole the hen to feed a poor family. Jairen is woken up in terror as he hears the voice of the red-bearded man, threatening him for hiding the thief; only to see that Fez, who can mimic voices, makes a prank to him. Following the road they leave the woods and reach the Farming Plains. They grow hungry and steal some pentabeans and start to look for fruits in an orchard of tikka trees. There, thirty dwarves dressed in armor of leather and steel and carrying small axes, come toward the orchard. As dwarves and fenlings don't go well along, Fez responds hostile to them but the fight is averted by Jairen. The leader of the dwarves say that they come from the great council in the city of Rivlyn. As the dwarves finish their snack, the leader, who introduces himself as Avadale, leader of his tribe, lights his pipe and tells about the council. Evil threatens the peaceful existence of the people, as goblins, orcs and changelings have alerted them. The council hosted representatives of Tyens, druids, and all of the races. Jairens's questions make Avadale to narrate to them the whole history of Tyragon, something that Fez comment the dwarves love doing. Then he learns about the Warlock King and Lakmir the Timeless who is looking for the one who will defeat again the Warlock King: the future hero's statue is unfinished in the Great Hall at the Castle Shadowgate. The night had fallen and Jairen kept questioning Avadale, who warned him that the Death Wraiths are also looking for the future king. On the morning Jairen woke and found the dwarves gone. Fez was waiting for him on a branch of a tikka tree. As he ate, Fez inquired on why Jairen seemed so interested in the dwarf's story. They resumed the journey and Jairen told Fez about his past including his vision and quest to Gatekeeper to find the faceless king. They followed a road between through fields and orchards, with the Western Forest next to them, which reached out toward the Farming Plains, seeming dark, gloomy quiet, with a musty smell unlike the forest near Wooddale. Jairen was startled by a flash of movement, and Fez tried to lighten him up, until he too was frightened by something. Eventually the road headed straight into the forest. They left sunlight behind. The walk was going quietly until they heard goblin howls. They were surrounded as they started running. They burst into a small clearing following by the goblins. There, Jairen saw the gray-bearded stranger sitting by a small fire. The stranger, keeping a mysterious calmness in the middle of the clearing, welcomed the two people. Goblins entered and he took them out with lightnings, fireballs and spells that controlled roots and branches. However large amounts of goblins continued to enter, and the stranger took the two and flew on a tall branch. The goblins ended up fighting each other. When everything went silent, the trio dropped again to the ground and left the forest. There, the stranger told them that he is none other than Lakmir the Timeless and promised to teach Jairen some of the simplest spells under a banty tree. At night, Jairen woke up feeling a dark figure above him. Lakmir told him that it is a Death Wraith, searching for something, which it won't find tonight. Feeling safe, Jairen fell asleep again. Once more, Jairen wakes up late, and sees Fez warming a root on a fire, a ground apple which he eats for breakfast. In the afternoon they passed the plains and reached the Olden Stand, a dark but beautiful and welcoming forest. Jairen notices the breezes and birds inside the forest. They are surprised by elves who suddenly appear next to them. Fez is captured, and the elves tie them with vines, saying that their King wants to see them. The band arrives at a clearing. Jairen is sent to an old stump which opens, and inside sees the throne of the elfin King, to whom he describes his quest. He notices his birthmark and says that he is of true blood. He names him Lyth'n K'tarr, meaning "Seed of Prophecy", and orders his men to guide them through the forest safely. Jairen and Fez continue to walk through a land which is not farmed. Fez says Jairen that they are near the swamp of Darkmire occupied by terrifying creatures. Soon darkness falls. Fez notices a campfire nearby and smells roasted shippu. Fez runs to steal some and the two approach the camp, but they find out that the campers are seven trolls. Fez is noticed and the two are captured. The trolls find them a fine addition to their shippu dinner. The troll who captured Jairen approaches him to the fire to roast him. Then Jairen remembers the fire spells taught by Lakmir, and manages to put it out. The camp is engulfed in moonlit darness but the troll doesn't set him loose. The trolls shout to eat both of them without cooking. Then he sees a dark figure, armed with a pair of scimitars, entering the camp and attacking the trolls. Jairen falls down and runs away, seeing the silhouette of the stranger dancing around, slaughtering all the seven trolls. Jairen lights again the fire and approach the stranger, who does not talk much. His name is Hawk and refuses to say anything about his background. Believing that they are met for a reason, he says that he will come with them for some time. The trio make a camp for the night. Jairen notices Hawk who stays vigilant by the fire as the two of them sleep. In the morning they wonder how come Hawk did not take a rest all night. Jairen offers a tikka to him which he devours hungrily. They he shyly asks him to train him and become a warrior, which Hawk eagerly does. They resumed their journey and the afternoon they passed through open plains on their right and dismal swamps on their left. Suddenly Hawk notices a black smoke towering at the distance. The three run towards the smoke and find a village that has been burned down, with crying women and children and barking dogs. After helping some of the villagers anyway they could, Hawk explains it is the work of Death Wraiths, who killed or abducted the men. He tells him that the Lord of the Death Wraiths is to be killed by one of the line of ancient kings. As they walked away from the ruined village, Jairen stops and vows to his companions that he will not stop his quest until the Warlock King is stopped. Further away, they notice a band of Tyens resting near a rock. Their leader wakes and approaches him, only to hear the funny remarks of Fez. Insulted, he calls Fez to a fight to the death for his honor and does not accept his apology. Hawk, whom the Tyen recognises, offers to fight for Fez. During the fight, the two prove equal warriors and seem to fight for ever until both of them fall by their wounds. Then the Tyen steps on a puddle of blood and falls down. Hawk refuses to kill him and helps him stand, but the Tyen says that he must take his own life. Jairen intervenes saying that he is worthy of many more battles. The Tyen then offers his loyalty to Hawk. Jairen and Fez walk away as Hawk and the Tyen stay behind talking, and continue the journey. As Jairen speaks his admiration for the two warriors, the walks into a the Upper Tyre, the widest river of Tyragon which separates Kal Zathynn from the Westland. There is no bridge for the river, it is very wide, but it is also shallow. The two start walking into the river. An upstream makes them to lose their balance, especially Fez's, but they manage to reach the other end. Jairen sits on a rock to rest and dry his clothes, but they found out it is the end of a dragon's tai. The dragon approaches Jairen as Fez moves out of the way. Trying to employ what he learned from Hawk, he tries to harm the dragon with his short sword, running below his legs and thrusting to his underbelly and heart. Purple blood spill on the ground, the dragon weakens while trying to crush him under his legs; but Jairen also grows tired. The dragon manages to hit Jairen with his tail and sends him further away, then trap him under his clawed leg. Jairen sees how the dragon plays with him, by singeing him with fire, then remembers Lakmir's fire spells. He casts a spell that reverses fire, and as the dragon is ready to fry him, the fire returns to his intestines. In pain, the dragon releases him and starts writhing. Jairen and Fez run away, feeling a little pity for the creature Jairen and Fez enter the Morryth Woods and walk as Fez improvises a song about Jairen and the dragon. They exit the woods around evening and Jairen sits down to rest and sleep as Fez goes to look for firewood. Jairen is woken up by a band of travelers, light in complexion, with almond-shaped eyes of pale (almost silver) blue. They are friendly and ask to camp with Jairen and Fez and share some of their food. While talking about their journeys, they seem to know about Jairen's quest to the Gatekeeper, although he never mentioned it, and offer a shortcut. Fez was puzzled as they are already following the direct route. Fez tried to whisper to Jairen's ear his suspicions. One of the men stood up angry and drew a dagger. Jairen confronted him, and the man started to transform to a lizardlike creature, a Changeling. Fez reacted by hitting one with firewood as Jairen killed one or two with his sword. The rest flew in terror. Fez guides Jairen back to the Woods while the night falls. They reach a clearing, but the way is guarded by a maniac barbarian who seeks a challenge. Having gained faith in himself, Jairen attacks the barbarian, once more his size and agility as his advantage. he draws the first blood from the barbarian who is further enraged. During the fight, a dark spirit appears, ready to kill Jairen with lightning. The barbarian understands that Jairen is important and moves to protect him. They decide to be allies against the spirit, and fight it, as it attacks them with lightning, fire and elements of nature. Yet the barbarian dies in a dark cloud, and Jairen comes near to comfort him. Then the spirit produces a flying axe against Jairen. As Jairen awaits death with is comrade, he finds himself in a plain. Fez and Lakmir are beside him and tell him that he was sleeping: Lakmir had sent him a dream to test his reactions in a desperate situation. Jairen has showed compassion to an enemy, and proves his worth. Lakmir says that from now on Jairen is a man, and offers to him an elven sword named K'lynn T'ar the Gentle Avenger. The sword teleports him and Fez near Hawk and the Tyens, who are fighting a band of harpies. Jairen descents the slope and attacks the harpies who attack them waves after waves. Jairen notices that the sword somehow guides his movements, while he also gained some magical powers after that dream: he now summons fire, winds and hail and uses them against the adversaries. Green blood soak the blade, as the harpies attack them less and less. One harpy is about to kill him with her claws but Fez pushes Jairen aside saving his life. The harpy pushed Fez towards a gorge, until he vanished from sight. The harpies are gone and Jairen seeks to find any trace of Fez who saved his life. There is no sign or answer from the gorge. Hawks tries to comfort him, speaking about Fez' courage and what he'd expect from Jairen now. At the evening, Jairen and Hawk camp with the Tyens as Jairen thinks about Fez. Hawk teaches him that there is a point in everything, and reveals him what Lakmir had told him: the village Jairen was born was destroyed by the Death Wraiths. Hearing this, Jairen vows to revenge his dead parents; but Hawk reminds him that warriors fight for justice not for vengeance. Jairen sleeps between two Tyens. The morning they make plans for the rest of their journey: in 5 days they will reach Talinlyre River. All day passed walking across an arid and dry plain. By noon Jairen had shed most of his clothing and eventually fell down unable to move. the four Tyens carried him in turns. As he opened his eyes he thought seeing Fez but Hawk explained that it is only a mirage. When he waks up, he is under a tree, a Tyen offering him water, and then falls asleep again. The team is now in a very thick and wet jungle full of vegetation and suffocating moisture. Hawk leads the way hewing through the thick vegetation. Initially Jairen feels light after the dry desert but soon wears out. They eventually reach a gorge, whose rope bridge had fallen. Hawk and Jairen make a rope out of vines and throw it with a hook beyond the gorge. Jairen decides to pass first, and soon after all the team is across. There they decide to make camp. Jairen sees dreams about the hall of kings and the faceless king. They exit the jungle after 2 days and see a range of hills before them. The Gatekeeper is behind. Hawk says that they will follow the Tahketh's Pass and reach the river the next day. As the sun begins to set the next day, they reached the Talinlyre River. An open plain separated them from the Gatekeeper. Despite his excitement, Jairen manages to sleep in the camp, and feels that his parents were in his dream. At the Gatekeeper In the morning the team decide to pass the river not waiting for the mist to left. They pass across the swaying bridge above the Talinlyre, but when they reach the other side they see the Warlock King's army. Goblins, Orcs, harpies changelings and Death Wraiths occupy the formerly empty plain. Above them is the Lord of the Death Wraiths. The two men and the four Tyens fall in to them hoping to reach the Gateway behind them. Jairen fights aided by his magic. They are overwhelmed by the thousands of monsters, but they are soon joined by elven archers and Lakmir's magic; even Fez appears carrying a golden horn; he has fallen on a narrow ledge and then gathered some dwarves. Suddenly Jairen sees before him the Lord of the Death Wraiths, boasting that he is about to kill the last king of Kal Torlin. Then it all makes sense to Jairen: he is the future faceless king who will cleanse the land. Jairen stood facing the Lord of the Death Wraiths with his hot scarlet eyes, drawing a huge sword the Soul Slayer, from his cloak. Jairen faced the spirit with courage, and fought with all his focus and the spirit advanced. Both fight casting spells summoning winds and rain, fireballs and bolts of lightning. The battle has stopped as all the combatants stopped to watch the struggle between the spirit and Jairen. Jairen managed te first blow that drew blood from the spirit's cheek. A reference to his parents gave vigor to Jairen who moved to avenge them. But then he rememebered Hawk's words about truth and justice. He lifts his sword high and starts blowing the spirit, in the name of his parents, the villagers, and for himself, the K'lynn T'ar, and Justice. His sword crashes down and slices through Soul Slayer and the spirit's dark armor. The spirit shakes, shudders and then collapses. A black cloud drifts upwards. All the combatants watch in awe and the monster hordes run away shrieking, to be chased by elves and dwarves to the mountains. Everyone celebrates for the victory, Fez bows to Jairen as the new king, followed by Hawk, Tyens, dwarves and elves. Then Jairen asks to celebrate as friends; dwarves shout throwing their caps into the air, the elves compose a tale of the battle, the Tyens roar with pleasure rubbing against Jairen. Lakmir notices the sky, a black cloud forming into the face of the Warlock King. He promices that Jairen's victory is of no matter to him and they will meet again. The cloud moves away, and the stars shone brightly again. Then Fez notices the moons of Tyragon. They rose and Traal for the first time is full. Lakmir says that it is a sign that a new king came to power. Jairen entered Castle Shadowgate and alone managed to assemble the Staff of Ages and reach the Warlock Lord as he rose the titan. With the Staff he managed to wound the titan. As it dies, the Behemoth then drags the Warlock Lord with him to the abyss. Lordship After defeating both, Jairen returned to the royal city of Stormhaven of Westland and Kal Torlin, and later took King Otto's daughter's hand in marriage. Entitled High Lord of the Westland by Otto and great King Aronde I, King Jair became the first in the "Line of Kings", a dynasty whose job was to protect Shadowgate from falling into the wrong hands. Aronde II was one of his descendants. Titles *Lyth'n K'tarr *Seed of Prophecy *Justice *Lord Jair *Lord of Westland *King of Kal Torlin Behind the scenes There are certain issues with the backstory in Before Shadowgate that do not necessarily fit exactly with the backstory given for Jair in Shadowgate manual, or in Shadowgate 64. Shadowgate 64 places his homeland in Westland, rather than Kal Torlin. Kal Torlin is a separate country ruled by another king. Shadowgate 64 also confusingly adds an additional king Aronde of Kal Torin, who made him the Lord of Westland, whereas it was Otto in the PC versions of Shadowgate. Category:Characters (Shadowgate Classic)